


Held Together By Force Of Will

by annaloverofarendale



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: (He gets it eventually but like I want to hug him so much), Adrien needs love, Angst, F/M, Hawk Moth reveal fic, Hurt/Comfort, I hate Gabriel Agreste so much, Identity reveal fic, Marinette and Adrien take him down though, Reveal Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-10
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 12:03:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5966737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annaloverofarendale/pseuds/annaloverofarendale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette overhears a phone call, Ladybug meets an akuma that speaks in Hawk Moth's voice. The signs are all there, but this battle is going to take a lot more out of our heroes, physically, mentally, and emotionally, than ever before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The class was, for once, free of ongoing drama. Sure, Chloe was giving Marinette the stink eye, and Kim was staring longingly out the window at the beautiful spring day he was missing by being stuck inside, and Marinette was lost in the golden locks of one Adrien Agreste, but really? That was a normal baseline.

Said Adrien Agreste was wrapping up another flawless answer, this time on the difference between Locke and Hobbes.

Madam Stjerner nodded enthusiastically. “Very good, Adrien! Which leads perfectly into our new project.” She clapped her hands together. “We are going to explore these morals more in teams. I want you to present to the class on different philosophies regarding selflessness.” At the mention of pairs, every student immediately made eye contact with their besties. “I’ve already chosen your partners-” the students deflated, “so no complaining.”

Alya scrunched up her nose and leaned in to whisper to Marinette. “Bummer! I was hoping we could get paired, I want to do mine on Ladybug.”

Marinette tried not to wince at the thought of doing a project on herself. “We could still get paired together!”

“Alya and Nino-”

Her best friend shrugged. “Top two, not too shabby.” She patted Marinette on her shoulder. “Sorry, girl.” Marinette didn’t mind, at least Alya got to work with someone she liked. She hoped she would be as lucky. Luck typically did come to her though, so maybe-

“Marinette and Adrien-”

Well then. Marinette tried to stay calm. Was the room always this warm? Did this even count as good luck? Alya was energetically giving her a thumbs up, and Adrien had turned around to give her one of his slow, sunshine smiles. The kind of smile that looked like the sun rising. The kind that burnt her to a crisp and left behind a hollowed out shell incapable of maintaining a conversation.

“Marinette?” Adrien’s voice was tinged with concern, and his sunshine smile was replaced with a slight frown that looked out of place on his delicate features. A sharp elbow to the ribs, courtesy of Alya, shook Marinette out of her stupor. 

Marinette took a deep breath. She was a superhero for crying out loud. She regularly saved all of Paris. “S-sorry, Adrien. I uh- lost my train of thought.” She let a small smile peek through. “I’m really excited, I’m - I’m glad we’re partners.”

Adrien smiled back, and Marinette only blushed a little. 

That was progress.

Madam Stjerner clapped her hands again. “Spend a few minutes planning with your partner. The first team will present on Monday, so be prepared to work over the course of the week and weekend. Don’t forget, the assignment is to discuss a system of morals you and your partner can both agree with, and to use examples from your own life.”

“Psst- Hey, Marinette.” Adrien was looking at her again, oh crap. “I’m really excited to be working with you. When do you want to meet up? I have fencing until 5, but nothing after that?” He frowned slightly. “Or I could try and call off fencing, what do you want to do?” He looked nervous for some reason, which was just baffling to Marinette. It did make her realize that staring blankly wasn’t very comforting, at least, and shook herself out of it.

“Don’t- don’t worry about fencing! You should keep up with it! After five works well for me, my parent’s bakery closes then.” She met his eyes for the first time. “Would- um. Would you like to come over then?”

Adrien is really good at smiling. Marinette almost wished he had a goofy smile, or at least something less completely and totally disarming. 

He nodded, and Marinette was suddenly struck by the memory of her room as she left it this morning, laundry piled on the bed and a dozen or so posters of his face lovingly plastered on every wall. Crap.

~~~

Adrien was pretty stoked to get Marinette as a partner, all things considered. She’s smart, and won’t skimp out on her half, like Chloe does. She might even be a better teammate than Nino, not that he’d ever tell his best friend that. Nino gets distracted too easily. The last time they worked on a project together, Nino spent the entire time making the perfect playlist. Adrien finished before Nino did, but it was worth it to have a legitimate excuse to spend time with his friend.

Still. Marinette has never seemed fully comfortable around him. Maybe she won’t enjoy being his partner.

After a fencing session, during which a thoroughly distracted Adrien got thoroughly trounced by his teammates, delighted to catch the all-star off guard, Adrien took his fastest shower ever. He didn’t want to be late. This was the perfect opportunity to try and get the shy girl to open up, and he didn’t want to wreck it by being late. A small voice in the back of his mind insisted that it was useless, and that Marinette hated him, and would always hate him. Adrien shook his head, causing droplets of water to land on his shirt collar. Marinette was too nice to hate anyone. And even if she did hate him, well- at least she’d be too sweet to make a big deal out of it. They could still work on the project together.

“You’re being ridiculous.” 

Thankfully, Adrien’s yelp of surprise was muffled by the running water as the rest of his teammates were still in the shower. “Plagg! What did I say about appearing in public?”

The cat kwami shrugged. “Something annoying, I bet.” Plagg nibbled on a chunk of camembert Adrien kept in his locker. “Anyway. Stop worrying about the girl. You’re giving me a second hand headache. I’m far too delicate for this!” 

Adrien didn’t dignify that with an answer, he just stuffed Plagg back into his gym bag and met the Gorilla out front. He told Gorilla the address of the Dupain-Cheng bakery, and sat back, listening to Gorilla’s preferred pop music on the radio until they pulled up to the charming small business. 

It was his first time there since the gaming tournament. Sabine was behind the counter when he walked in, and Adrien was taken by surprise when she rushed him with a massive hug. “Adrien! Welcome back!” She released him, and Adrien had to hold his hands behind his back to stop himself from hugging Sabine again. She was a really good hugger. 

“Thanks, Sabine.” He felt his embarrassment rise up to his cheeks, but Sabine just laughed warmly.

“Marinette is upstairs, I’ll give her a heads up.” 

As Sabine walked into the home part of the bakery, a giant man Adrien recognizes as Marinette’s father appeared. “Marinette’s friend! Welcome!”

Adrien stuck out his hand, which was promptly crushed by Tom’s giant one. “Adrien, sir, thank you for having me over.”

Tom smiled, and Adrien can see Marinette in his bright demeanor. “It’s Tom, you know that. And, truly, anytime!” Her father wiped off some flour from his apron, and the particles swirled in a beam of sunshine rather prettily. After a few moments of silence that was miraculously peaceful instead of uncomfortable, Sabine reappeared.

“She’s all set, you can head on up. Let us know if you need anything.”

Tom nodded vigorously. “I made an extra batch of brioche, I might ask you two to taste test, if you don’t mind.” He winked, with all the vigor of a person who can’t actually wink, but wants to send the sentiment across. Adrien smiled.

“Thank you, Tom.” 

The hallway up to Marinette’s room was covered with photographs. The three of them on vacation, playing in the gardens, Marinette’s first day of school. Alya was in more than he expected, causing Adrien to wonder exactly how long the two of them had been friends. He’d have to ask Marinette, but for now he was enjoying taking his time with his journey upstairs. He was only feeling a twinge of something that might have been jealousy, or possibly just nostalgia, but for the most part, he was just enjoying seeing a different side of Marinette.

The girl in the photographs had a wild, sometimes nearly wicked grin. She was in costume quite a bit, princess crowns and wizard robes. Marinette’s kindness somehow also managed to shine through, with photos of her at neighborhood cleanups and charity races. Adrien held back a laugh and looked closer at that last photo. Her signature pigtails were coming undone, and there were streaks of mud on her face as she crossed the finish line in pouring rain. Her grin was electric.

He thinks back to his father’s last ‘charity’ ball, and Chloe’s elaborate updo. He preferred Marinette’s version, massively.

Plagg’s voice drifted out of his bag. “Stalker. Quit staring and get up there, I’m bored.” 

Ah. Right. Marinette was here. Upstairs. Waiting for him.

Adrien climbed those stairs as quickly as possible, and stood at the top, winded and trying to catch his breath, before opening up the door. Marinette was sitting cross-legged on the floor, poster paper and markers scattered everywhere. She bounced up and gave an adorable wave.

“Hi, Adrien! Um. Welcome!” 

Her room hadn’t changed much. There were some new clothes hanging on the mannequins, more recent photos and ticket stubs on the wall. Adrien let himself take a full look around before grinning, not noticing Marinette, who promptly turned an interesting shade of pink. “Hey, Mari! I love your room. It’s got so much of your personality in it.” It was only then that he looked at Marinette. Shit. He made her uncomfortable again.

Adrien pulled himself back in again, keeping to his more subdued personality. Maybe this will help. He sat down next to Marinette, making sure not to sit too close. “Where do you think we should start?”

Marinette visibly gulped, but pulled out a notebook and read from it, almost mechanically. “I wrote down five classic ethical dilemmas, I was thinking we could write down our choices separately, with an explanation of our moral code, and then compare them on the poster.” 

It is, without a doubt, the longest sentence he’s ever heard from Marinette. Adrien started to bounce his leg up and down in an attempt to keep a decidedly Chat-like grin under control. “That- that sounds perfect, Marinette.” She was relaxing! 

The girl who could outmatch Chloe Bourgeois in a battle of wills turned fire engine red. “Thanks.” She passed Adrien some print outs of the dilemmas, and started to work on her own set in silence. Adrien took the hint. For a while, at least. 

But. Well. Curiosity killed the cat. 

“Marinette?”

She nearly broke the tip of her pencil. “Yes?”

Adrien very quickly realized he didn’t have anything to ask her, and wracked his brain for something, anything that could get her to open up. “What designs are you working on now?” He pointed to a mannequin dressed in a stylish red and black jacket. “That looks Ladybug inspired-” he couldn’t resist adding.

To his surprise, Marinette didn’t stutter as much as she told him everything about the design. Apparently, Alya’s birthday was coming up, and the coat was going to be a present for the blogger. Adrien walked over to the coat, admiring the complicated paneling. “You’re really talented, Marinette.”

She let out a squeak. “Not really, not at all. Look-” She tried to point out minuscule flaws, but Adrien just waved them away.

“Marinette. I’ve seen more coats than I care to remember. This is really well made, and you’re just starting off.” Adrien let his fingers linger over the material. “It’s soft and sturdy, and will look amazing on Alya.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I just sit there, you know? Designers are incredible, and you’re one of the best I’ve seen.”

Marinette let out another squeak, and Adrien figured he should probably start dropping the topic, when his phone rang. He looked at the number, and felt ice creep into his veins.

“Mari, I need to take this, I’m so sorry-” He apologized even as he quickly accepted the call and brought the phone up to his ears.

_“Adrien.”_

~~~

Marinette, totally, one hundred percent, did not mean to eavesdrop. But Adrien’s shoulders had tensed up, and her room was so quiet (and why didn’t she put on the radio like she considered) that she couldn’t help but hear a cold, disembodied voice berate her prince.

_“I saw the photographs. Your performance yesterday was unsatisfactory, to say the least. You were unprofessional, slow, and produced nothing of use to me. You haven’t forgotten our arrangement, I assume?”_

Adrien was staring out the window, and Marinette could barely hear his voice, softer than she’s ever heard it before. “I haven’t, I promise. I’ll make more time for modeling, don’t worry.”

_“Worry would imply a level of anticipation. I’ve resigned myself to being disappointed this time. Don’t let it happen again.”_

“I won’t.” But Marinette can hear the distinctive ‘click’ of the phone hanging up, giving the mysterious caller the last word. Although it’s not so mysterious once Adrien joins her again on the carpet, looking smaller than ever. 

“Sorry about that, my dad needed to talk to me about something.” 

Marinette doesn’t know what to say to that. So a small part of her is almost relieved when her own phone dings with a familiar notification. She clicks on it, and Alya fills the screen. 

“-the Akuma in question appears to have some sort of psychic power-” Behind her, an akumatized version of a popular television medium looms near the Lourve. Marinette nearly dropped her phone. 

“An akuma attack. Stay here, I’m going to go get Alya! She shouldn’t be out there, it’s dangerous!”

Adrien frowned. “No way, I’m not letting you get yourself hurt either.”

Crap. Transforming into Ladybug meant getting away from Adrien, but the blond looked determined to keep her safe, which would have been completely swoon-worthy if she didn’t have a heroic responsibility to uphold. 

Marinette frowned back. “Fine, at least let me call her from downstairs.” 

Adrien’s smile was immediate. “That sounds like a plan, I’ll head up to the roof to get a better signal, I’ll see if I can figure out how she got away from Nino.” Marinette nodded, too distracted to consider that the signal was best in her room, and raced out the front door, ducking into an alley to transform into Ladybug, with a rush of beautiful bubbles and hearts.

Being Ladybug felt really good sometimes.

As Ladybug raced to the Lourve, she let out a sigh of relief at Adrien’s self preservation. It would be terrible if he was in danger, even though she could probably be professional- she wouldn’t want to test it.

Chat Noir made it there before her, which wasn’t surprising, the akuma apparently had been raging for a while. The top of the pyramid was starting to crack as the akuma used mystical purple wisps to lift trash cans and even cars, throwing them at the structure and at passersby. Ladybug swung in for a closer look, Chat Noir right behind her.

“LADYBUG AND CHAT NOIR. HOW NICE OF YOU TO JOIN ME, THE ORACLE!”

The akuma’s long blonde hair trailed on the ground, her eyes terrifyingly blank. Ladybug nudged Chat Noir. “Look, see her shawl? It’s the same one on the billboards. I think that’s where the akuma is!” Unfortunately, The Oracle noticed the two whispering.

“WE HAVE OURSELVES SOME CHATTY YOUNG ONES, DON’T WE?” She grinned, and it sent shivers down Ladybug’s spine. “CHATTY CHAT NOIR, LET’S DIVE INTO YOUR HEAD FIRST, WHY DON’T WE?” 

Chat stiffened, and Ladybug heard the smallest “no” escape from his lips before that same purple mist surrounded Chat Noir, knocking him out and suspending him in the air. His brow twisted into something that shook Ladybug to her core.

“Oh, you are so going to pay for that.” Ladybug glared at The Oracle. “Lucky charm!” 

A black and red spotted crystal ball fell from the sky. “Seriously?” Ladybug tried to think, tried to think, but Chat Noir was tossing and turning even more now, and his face was- not something Ladybug wanted to think about. And then, like a crack of lightning, everything made sense. “Oh!” 

_“Ladybug.”_

The Oracle’s eyes started to shine, and Ladybug quickly took a few steps back. This was new, and new was very very bad when it came to akumas. The voice coming out of The Oracle was cold, sterile; nothing like the furious wailing from before.

But she was a superhero, damnit. “Yes?”

_“Give up this ridiculous game. Hand over your miraculous, and this can finally be over. Foolish girl.”_

Ladybug snorted. “Um, how about no?” The voice continued, and little bells of recognition started to flicker in her mind. “Wait, are you- Hawk Moth?”

There was a sigh, the driest one she’d ever heard. _“Yes, clearly our battles have destroyed more brain cells than even I considered. Give up, Ladybug. Don’t you have anything you want? I can give it to you. Power? You’ll have it. Just give up the miraculous. Join me.”_

The pieces clicked, in more ways than one. 

Ladybug chucked the crystal ball at the Lourve, sending a shudder down the glass panels before they exploded in a shatter of glass that rained down on The Oracle. Ladybug kept her eyes closed as she lept onto The Oracle, not stopping until she grabbed the shawl and ripped it down the middle, releasing the akuma.

She barely had time to catch the akuma in her yoyo before Chat Noir tumbled out of the sky and into her waiting arms. He was still unconscious. Ladybug gently set him down, cleansed the akuma, and picked him up again. The last thing her alley cat deserved was to wake up somewhere public. 

It was after a few minutes of running that Chat began to blink back into consciousness. Ladybug hoped he couldn’t hear her heart skip a beat. Thank god. She set him down on the secluded rooftop. Her miraculous was starting to beep, but she couldn’t leave Chat. Not after that.

“Kitty, please wake up, please-” 

Chat Noir groaned and sat up. “My lady, are you okay? I- the akuma-”

Ladybug pressed a hand to his shoulder in what was hopefully a comforting gesture. “It’s fine, I handled it.” He seemed to shrink with the words, and looked away.

“Guess you didn’t need me, huh?”

What. “Chat, look at me.” Her miraculous beeped again, but Chat Noir couldn’t actually think that. She couldn’t leave him thinking that. His eyes were on her miraculous, widening when he saw how close she was cutting it. “Look at me.” He did.

“Chat, I need you. You’re my partner, it’s awful whenever you’re in danger, and you put yourself in danger constantly so that I don’t get hurt. You scared me, silly kitty, and I finished the fight alone because I was worried sick about you. We’re a team. You aren’t allowed to forget that, okay?” Chat just stared at her. Maybe he was concussed? “Okay?”

After a pause, he nodded. Ladybug let out a sigh of relief. “Okay. I don’t want to know who you are, but I also need to get you home. You might have a concussion, I’m not sure how to check for that.” 

His voice was still smaller than she’d like, but it was still there. “I’m not concussed, just shaken.” Chat gave her a small smile. “She didn’t- I wasn’t hit on my head. It was my mind, not brain. I’ll get home safely, don’t worry, my lady.” He stood, a little shakily. “Cats always land on their feet.” And with that, her best friend threw himself off the rooftop, using his staff to vault over Paris.

Just in time too, as Ladybug’s earrings beeped a final time and she fell to her knees, Marinette again. 

Awkward, shy, bumbling Marinette with the burning knowledge that HawkMoth has the same voice as Gabriel Agreste. Terrified Marinette who has seen all the damage Hawk Moth has done, how far he’ll go. 

Done with this bullshit Marinette who is going to end this.


	2. Chapter 2

“Tikki... It can’t be true, right?” Marinette sat in her desk chair, staring blankly at the Ladyblog. She’d been browsing through every recorded akuma attack, looking for something, anything, to disprove her current theory. 

Tikki floated from her perch on Marinette’s shoulder to look at the screen more closely. “Marinette, trust your instincts. I don’t know if Alya even knows that there’s one person behind the akuma attacks, it’s not exactly common knowledge.”

Marinette suddenly smiled. “Tikki, that’s it!” 

The cute kwami tilted her head to the side. “What’s it?”

“Common knowledge! Tikki, you’re over five thousand years old! You must know something about how superhero and super-villain powers work.” Marinette looked at Tikki, hoping she’d smile and tell her that, yes, that was a brilliant plan. But even her luck wasn’t that good.

“I wish it was that simple, Marinette!” Tikki’s eyes almost filled with tears, saying no wasn’t her strong suit. “But there are rules about what kwamis can tell humans, and it would throw everything out of balance. For us, everything is about balance. Look at you and Chat Noir!”

Marinette’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Tikki grinned, and flew back to Marinette’s shoulder. “You’re Ladybug, the epitome of good luck. He’s Chat Noir, all he gets is bad luck. But you’re a team, and you wouldn’t be as strong without each other. I’ve watched centuries of Ladybugs and Chat Noirs. The ones that succeed are the ones who use each the natural bond you two share.”

Unwillingly, Marinette’s mind flashed back to the day before, when her partner hung sickeningly limp in the air, in obvious pain. Tikki rested her head on Marinette’s cheek, letting the girl take comfort from the contact. 

“Tikki, I’ve got to stop Hawk Moth from hurting anyone else.” 

The kwami smiled. “Then you know what you’ve got to do, right?”

Marinette groaned. “Talk to Adrien?”

“Talk to Adrien.”

Which was easier said than done. In practical terms, it meant Marinette just spent the rest of the week watching Adrien- not even more intently than before, because that would have broken a few laws of physics, but with an eye towards anything relating to Gabriel Agreste. What she found was, well- not comforting.

On Wednesday, the teacher brought in permission slips for the end of the year field day. Adrien looked as excited as the rest of the class, but when he saw the parental signature line, he slumped ever so slightly.

On Thursday, Marinette decided to do a little investigative work. “Hey, Nino?”

The DJ perked up. “‘Sup, Marinette?”

Thankfully Alya was retaking a quiz in a different room. “Alya wanted me to ask you about that time you were the Bubbler. Do you remember what sparked it all?” Nino shifted in his seat and looked at Adrien.

Adrien’s back went ramrod straight. Nino looked back at Marinette and shrugged. “Sorry, Mari, it’s all kind of a blur. I just remember wanting to party, that’s all.” He nods in Adrien’s direction. “Adrien was there though, maybe he can tell you more?”

It was a brilliant move, really.

Marinette didn’t back down.

She took a deep breath and turned to Adrien. “Do you- do you remember what caused Nino’s transformation?”

Adrien looked down at his table, but answered her, despite how much he’d clearly prefer to not have this conversation. “My dad wasn’t very... receptive to the idea of a party.” He flashed a small smile at Nino. “Nino was just trying to make sure everything turned out fun.” He gave Marinette a strange look. “Why are you asking? I thought Alya was the Ladybug fan?”

Marinette shrugged, trying to stay casual. “I- I like them too. And Alya asked me to- ask around for her.”

Neither boy pushed back on that, which is just her Ladybug luck. They both go back to working on their math sets, and Marinette sat back in her seat, trying to make sense of the spinning gears. Adrien’s father being a jerk doesn’t make him a supervillain. 

But.

Tikki said to trust her instincts. And something is definitely up with Gabriel Agreste. 

~~~

Honestly, wouldn’t it be just Adiren’s rotten luck to die of a heart attack the moment Ladybug swings through his bedroom window? He doesn’t even pretend not to be clutching his chest, because meowch, that was sudden. And now Ladybug is in his room.

Ladybug knows who he is.

For a second, he’s positive that she’s figured it out. He hasn’t been subtle, and if anyone can see the boy behind the cat mask, it’s his Lady. But she’s not standing like his Lady normally stands, she almost looks... unsure.

“Are- are you Adrien Agreste?”

He nodded, not trusting himself to open his mouth. _I’m Chat Noir. And Adrien Agreste. And wildly in love with you._

His Lady looked sad. Adrien wondered if he can punch whoever or whatever made her sad. That would be good. 

“Adrien, I need your help.” Ladybug glanced around his room for the first time, visibly on edge. “Come with me. Please.” 

Adrien just nodded again, because it’s his Lady, and he trusts her on both sides of the mask. She wrapped an arm around his waist, and for a moment he’s sure he’s dreaming. But only for a moment, because then they were soaring over rooftops, and Adrien’s not scared of heights as Chat Noir, but as Adrien- well, they aren’t his favorite.

Ladybug never falters, never lets him fall. She took a strangely evasive path across the city, not their normal route. He almost commented before realizing how that would completely that would give everything away. She brought him to a small cement box on a rooftop, housing an air conditioning unit. It’s a brilliant location, and Adrien wondered why they haven’t been there before. The walls block the view from all sides, and someone would have to be directly overhead to spot them.

Adrien already missed the weight of her arm around his waist. “Ladybug? Where’s- where’s Chat Noir?” Because Adrien’s still not sure if she’s here for him, or for the Chat. If she knows, or if this is just bizarre coincidence. He could feel Plagg shifting in his pocket, ready for a reveal if it’s necessary. 

Ladybug shook her head. “I- sorry. Let me call him, you’re right, he should be here.”

She took out her yoyo, and Adrien realizes how completely dumb he is. “WAIT.”

Ladybug tilted her head, and Adrien tried to stay focused, despite the fluttering in his stomach. “Wait, please, Ladybug. Can you just let me know what it is you need me for?”

Because Adrien had a slowly growing sinking feeling in his stomach that it isn’t going to be good. Was he akumatized without his knowledge? Ladybug looked at him, and it’s not the expression of exasperation mixed with friendship that he’s used to. This was something sadder.

She took a deep breath. “Adrien, I need to ask you a few questions about your father, Gabriel Agreste.”

“Why.” His voice was flat, he couldn’t help it. He hates talking about his father, because he hates lying, and the truth isn’t what reporters want to hear.

Ladybug shifted on her feet. “Adrien, I’d really rather wait for Chat Noir.”

He grabbed her hand, pulling it away from her yoyo. “My Lady- I- I think I know what’s going on.” Adrien took a deep breath. “Plagg, claws out!”

The change was as adrenaline filled as ever, more so knowing that Ladybug was watching and seeing him, really truly seeing him. When Chat Noir stood where Adrien once was, he carefully kept his eyes on Ladybug’s face.

She went pale. “Chat?”

“The one and only.” His bow was jilted and awkward, and his voice lacked his normal alley cat confidence. 

“Chat- Adrien- I- this isn’t what I-,” Ladybug was stammering, and Chat felt his heart sink. He straightened, trying to maintain the last bits of dignity he had, when he familiar arms wrapped around him in the largest hug he’d had in a very, very long time. He sank into her arms, trying to understand what was going on. 

Eventually, Ladybug pulled away.

She was a distinctive shade of pink, and Chat would normally comment, but he was fairly certain his own face was a dozen times brighter. He shifted awkwardly on his feet, trying and failing to resist the urge to play with his own ears. “You didn’t know.”

Ladybug shook her head. “I didn’t.” She looked amazed, and a little frustrated. “I should have.” She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “Chat, do you trust me?”

His answer was immediate. “Always, instinctively, and without question.” 

She winced. “Please, try to keep that in mind, I don’t want-” a shudder visibly rolled through her, “I can’t- you can’t hate me, please don’t hate me.”

Chat Noir took her hand, gently this time. “I could never hate you.”

Ladybug’s eyes were large, blue, beautiful, and full of something very, very sad. “I think Gabriel Agreste is Hawk Moth.”

It should have hit him like a truck. It should have made him angry, should have made him spout defences and arguments about exactly why it would be impossible. Impossible for his father to be the one causing Paris so much pain.

Instead, it felt like puzzle pieces falling into place while he watched in horror at the picture it formed.

The absent father, constantly away or in his study. The areas in his own home where Adrien, even Nathalie, were forbidden to wander. The high prevalence of akuma attacks near Adrien, affecting his classmates and their families more frequently than anyone else. 

Ladybug was watching him warily. “Adr- Chat?”

For the first time, he channeled Adrien while wearing Chat’s suit. He straightened his spine, collected his thoughts, and let only grace and serenity shine through. “What do you need me to do, Ladybug?”

She looked more worried now than she did before, and he can see her posed to ask if everything is okay. She stopped before the question left her lips, and he knows why.

It’s obvious that he’s not okay. But he needs to be, so he’ll make it work. He always does.

~~~

Adrien, who is Chat Noir and Marinette will never ever get over that, tells her everything he can think of about Gabriel. In a sick way, a small part of Ladybug, the Marinette part, is rejoicing in this flow of information about Adrien and his homelife. A much larger part is recoiling at the increasing possibility that Gabriel Agreste is Hawk Moth. And the largest part of all is crying out at the injustice of it all.

Harriett Agreste disappeared the summer Adrien turned twelve, and Marinette feels like smacking herself, because she knew that, it was in the paper, but she never connected it to her crush until this moment. She can see his breath hitch, can see how close they were, how close they must have been. 

Ever since Harriett disappeared, Gabriel has been distant, and Adrien doesn’t say it, but it’s clear he lost two parents at once. 

Ladybug sat next to Chat Noir and held his hand as he told her Gabriel’s weaknesses.

Gabriel Agreste is slow to anger. He’s cold, and calculating. He won’t be cruel if he can help it, but only because he hates wasted effort. 

He didn’t use to be this way.

Gabriel Agreste used to love gardens, and flowers. He’s always loved butterflies (and Ladybug and Chat Noir twitch in unison when they process the implications). When Adrien Agreste was younger, Gabriel Agreste took him everywhere. Every business luncheon, every meeting, every fashion show. 

Gabriel Agreste now tells Nathalie to let Adrien know he’s in Spain for the winter holidays, and to please behave himself over Christmas. 

Chat Noir didn’t meet Ladybug’s eye when he told her that Adrien Agreste would be thrilled if they could fix this, but that Chat Noir doesn’t want to pin the faults of a distant father on a mystical cause out of naivete.

Ladybug stood then, and helped her partner, her best friend, to his feet. She looked into his eyes and saw someone she loved completely and thoroughly, from both sides of the mask. Marinette was afraid. 

So she stayed Ladybug. “Chat, thank you.” She hugged him, even tighter than before. “We’re going to stop Hawk Moth, you know. Whether or not this theory pans out. We’re going to stop him.”


	3. Chapter 3

His Lady didn’t hate him.

Adrien felt like shouting it from the rooftops, but that would be a bit of a giveaway. Still. His Lady knew that he was Adrien Agreste, knew the truth about his father, and she didn’t send him away. It would be okay, because they could work together, and when he and his Lady were a team, they were unstoppable.

Adrien might have been scared shitless, but he could handle it.

Probably.

His Lady asked him to stay safe. He promised. His fingers were crossed behind his back though, an old superstition he was supposed to have grown out of ages ago. His saftey was not his top priority. If his father really was Hawk Moth... then he was the one who made Ladybug cry, who put the city of Paris in danger on a nearly weekly basis. Adrien should have figured it out earlier.

He had to make up for lost time. 

The plan was simple. Find his father’s hideout, talk to his kwami. Plagg, annoying and bratty though he may be, was good. His father’s kwami, if he had one, must be the same. He didn’t know about Ladybug’s kwami, and in fact hadn’t been sure she had one until she smiled at Plagg.

Maybe the plan was too simple. But it was what he had, and he only had half an hour before his next photoshoot to search the mansion. 

Adrien didn’t even get past the hallway of the East Wing before his father appeared, a disapproving scowl on his face. A bad mood then. Great. Just his luck.

“Adrien. You know this is my private area. You are also aware, yes, of your photoshoot at four?”

He couldn’t help it, he hung his head like a pavlovian response. “Yes, father. I’m sorry. I was just coming up to see you.”

Gabriel wasn’t that much taller than his son, but those three inches felt like miles as he gazed down on Adrien. “You’ve seen me. Will that be all? I’m very busy.” Without waiting for a response, Gabriel turned and walked back into his study, leaving his son standing alone in a hall that suddenly felt too large for his small frame.

Adrien made sure he was at the shoot a quarter hour early.

Actually, the shoot wasn’t all bad. Maybe his luck wasn’t so terrible, because Marinette and Alya were at the gardens sunbathing just across from the photoshoot location. The girls had laid out a blanket, Ladybug themed, of course. Marinette was wearing oversized sunglasses that made her look, frankly, adorable beyond belief. Alya noticed his staring and waved him over, holding a finger to her lips to signal that he should do so silently. Adrien got the message, and snuck over in cat like silence.

“Hey, Marinette! Hey, Alya.”

He regretted it immediately when Marinette bumped her head on a nearby bush. “A-Adrien!” The blunette elbowed Alya sharply. “You did that on purpose!”

Alya didn’t even try to hide her grin. “I told you I’d get you back for disappearing on me yesterday. We’re even.” Alya made a space between herself and Marinette. “Adrien, sit down!”

He looked longingly at the soft blanket, and back at the photoshoot set up. To his surprise, it was Marinette who spoke first. 

“They can see you over here, you know?” Her voice was barely a whisper, but she wasn’t stuttering. That made the decision easy. He gave her his gentlest smile and sat between his two classmates, making sure that Marinette had her space. The shy girl still turned red, but she seemed to be doing better than she usually did. 

Maybe she was finally warming up to him. 

The thought kept Adrien smiling, even when he was pulled back into the photoshoot for, of all things, perfume. Marinette was an objectively good person. If she could like, him, well. Maybe it would be okay if his father turned out to be an evil mastermind hell bent on destroying happiness? 

Okay might not have been the right word to use. 

Manageable. Manageable was a good word. 

~~~

“Okay, spill.” 

Marinette looked aghast at her best friend. “Excuse me?”

Alya rolled her eyes. “You’re acting weirder than usual around Adrien. Coupled with how very well acquainted I got with your voicemail yesterday, something is-” Alya’s eyes widened. “No way.”

“It’s not that!” Marinette shushed her friend, because seriously, what if Adrien overheard? Damn it, why did her friend have to be so inquisitive, intelligent, and good at making connections?

Wait a second. 

Marinette leaned in. “Actually, Alya- do you really want to know?” This was a risk, to be sure, but Marinette couldn’t do it alone. Not this time, not when it mattered so much more. 

Alya had her serious reporter face on, and Marinette had to focus to stop from giggling. “Of course, Marinette. You can tell me anything.”

“Ladybug came to me last night and asked for help.”

“WHAT?” Alya practically screamed the question, muffled only by Marinette’s hasty hand. “What?” She asked again, at a much more reasonable volume.

Marinette tried to think of how to phrase her story. “She asked me not to tell anyone, it’s really top secret, and dangerous.” She took a deep breath. “She wanted help investigating the Agreste family, with emphasis on Gabriel.”

Alya blinked. “She knows you stalk Adrien?”

“I do not- anyway, no. She said it was because she knew I went to the same school he did.” Marinette shot a worried glance at Alya. “It- it isn’t good, Alya. Ladybug is afraid that Adrien’s father is the one behind the akuma attacks. You cannot tell him.”

Her best friend grabbed her hand. “Don’t worry, Mari, you can trust me.” She let out a long exhale. “So, you need help investigating Gabriel Agreste?” Alya grinned. “Number one investigative journalist right here, reporting for duty.”

Marinette was so, so lucky to have Alya.

Two hours later, the two girls were in Marinette’s room, staring up in amazement and horror at a tangle of red yarn and printed out blog posts, newspaper clippings, and paparazzi photographs.

It was Alya who spoke first. “Gabriel Agreste has never been seen near an akuma attack, not even the one that took place in his own front yard.”

“The akuma attacks started less than a month after Harriett Agreste went missing.” Marinette added, unnecessarily because it was all there on the board, but really, she was just trying to process it all. She ran her finger over a photograph from the Mayor’s annual ball, back when Adrien was six and missing his two front teeth. Harriett was beautiful, dressed in what could only have been a custom gown made by the much younger, smiling, Gabriel Agreste on her arm. 

“Marinette, I hate to ask, but- but I have to, you know?” Alya was looking at her like Marinette was about to run, screaming, out of the room at any minute. Which wasn’t entirely unwarranted, Marinette felt like the walls around her were crumbling.

She knew what question was coming, but she played along anyway. “What question, Alya?”

Alya sighed and ran her fingers through her red hair. “Do you think Adrien is helping him?”

It was a fair question, but Marinette still felt her shoulders rise in defiance. “No. He’s not, Alya, he’s as much a victim as the rest of us... More, even.”

And maybe Alya didn’t want to consider the alternative anymore than Marinette did, because she let it go. But only for now, because she was still Alya.

Marinette studied the red net again. “I’m going to go bake some cookies for Adrien.”

Alya just nodded. “Let me help. Snickerdoodles, maybe.”

~

The snickerdoodles did not go over well the next day. Adrien took one look at Alya and Marinette’s faces and ran. Marinette recognized the look of hurt betrayal. It was the same one Chat got whenever she snapped at him too sharply, and it hurt her more than any punch to the side.

“You stay here, Alya.” Marinette pushed her friend towards the entrance to the school, where the other students were just starting to file into the classroom. 

Alya hesitated. “Are you sure, Mari?”

Marinette nodded. “Adrien and I have needed to talk for a long time.”

Alya’s eyes were wide, but she listened, for once. Once her friend was safely inside, Marinette ran into a nearby alley. “Tikki, transform!”

Ladybug was so much faster than civilian Marinette. She sprung over rooftops, scanning for the form of either her classmate, or her favorite alley cat. It took a few minutes, but she found him, clad in black leather and flinging himself around more recklessly than usual. 

She sat on the edge of the chimney stack and waited. After a few more minutes, Chat Noir landed beside her, uncharacteristically quiet. She reached out and held his hand. He looked like he could float away without the anchor.

Eventually, he spoke. “I forgot that Marinette is a friend of yours.”

“Oh?”

He looked at her for the first time. “Are you scared of me?”

Ladybug considered it, knowing how much her answer would mean to the boy beside her. “I’m scared for you. I’m scared for all of us. We haven’t tried to go up against Hawk Moth before, because we didn’t have any leads. I’m scared that you’ll be the one most hurt, no matter what I do to try and control the damage.” She squeezed his hand. “I hate it when you’re hurt.” 

Chat nodded silently, but squeezed back. 

He gazed at the city for a few seconds before he spoke. “I want you to take my miraculous.” Ladybug felt a shudder and knew it came from Tikki. Chat kept talking, the words tumbling out faster now. “It’s not safe for him, Plagg, I mean, he’s my kwami- but we know Hawk Moth wants the kwamis more than anything else. You’re the only one I trust him with, Ladybug, please-”

“Okay.” The promise was drawn out of her like a whisper, but she knew she wouldn’t take it back. 

Chat let out a shuddering sigh. “Thank you, Ladybug.” He slowly slipped off his ring, and Adrien was there, holding a shocked looking cat kwami. The kwami clung to Adrien’s finger, and Adrien stroked him with his other hand. “Please, Plagg. I need you to be safe.”

“Chat- Adrien- you don’t need to do this.”

He looked at her with those green eyes, and really, how could she have ever not known that they were one and the same?

“Ladybug, if I get turned into an akuma, with Cataclysm? Everyone would be in danger, and I can’t... I can’t let it be me that hurts you.” Adrien looked at the ground just then, and gripped the edge of the chimney a little tighter. Ladybug pulled him closer. For safety, of course.

“Chat. Adrien. Both of you.” He smiled a little at that, and Ladybug felt her heart soar. “I could tell you. So that it’s fair, you deserve to know, for a lot of reasons-”

“-My Lady, please don’t!” He cut her off, looking miserable as he did so. “I want to know, but right now, I can’t. We’ve already seen an akuma who can use memories-” he flinched at that, but soldiered on, “and if I know who you are, eventually it will get back to Hawk Moth. Especially given the chance that- that I’m in- close proximity to him.”

Ladybug’s heart was breaking, that was the only explanation for this pain in her chest, the pounding fear as she accepted the familiar ring and a weepy kwami clung closer still to Adrien. He met her eyes, and gave her a braver smile than she would have been able to manage, given the circumstances.

“Um, Ladybug? Any chance I could have some assistance getting to my house?”

Oh right, they were on the roof.

~~~

Adrien kept his eyes wide open as Ladybug dropped him off at the street before his house. Sure, it was a tiny bit embarrassing to be carried, but he didn’t want his father getting any suspicions about his -former- identity as Chat Noir.

_It’s only temporary. You’ll get him back once this is done._ But was that really how it worked? Adrien decided to not think about it, or at least to try and avoid thinking about it, until he dealt with the bigger problem. He browsed the shelves of the convenience store, trying to pretend like he wasn’t stalling. After making a few purchases, he squared his shoulders and went back to his house. 

Adrien stood in front of his father’s study door. The last time he’d been inside, he’d been eleven and distracted by some puzzle or another assigned by a tutor. He slowly pushed the door open.

It was very anticlimactic. The study contained massive bookshelves, an oversized desk, and absolutely nothing that screamed ‘super-villain’. It was almost enough to make Adrien sigh in relief and give up on the “Dad is Hawk Moth” theory. And then he noticed that the room was smaller than it should be.

When he was younger, Adrien spent a summer pacing out the entire mansion. He found every hidden passageway and mapped out every inch of every room. And the study was definitely supposed to be larger. He walked up to the far eastern bookcase. And- there- a slight breeze could be felt. 

He pushed with all his strength, and the bookcase rolled back, revealing a narrow, winding spiral staircase. 

Of course his father would be a super-villain like he did everything else. With style.

Adrien started climbing the stairs, because really, what else could he do? He was terrified, but more than that, he was done with being scared of his father.

The staircase let out into a beautiful, airy room that made Adrien gasp, because he knew this place. The stained glass windows, the high vaulted ceilings- it was his mother’s lab. 

But gone were the tables and vials, the carefully mapped star charts and telescopes. Instead, the room was filled with ghost white butterflies.

Akumas.

“I thought you had school at this hour.”

Adrien jumped. His father was there, in his three piece suit as usual. Adrien didn’t even try to hide the tremble in his voice. “Father- I-”

“There’s nothing to see here. I recommend you leave, at once, before I start asking questions about why exactly you’re skipping that public school you begged me to send you to.”

“Father, I know you’re Hawk Moth.”

Adrien felt a trickle of ice on the back of his neck, but didn’t dare lift a hand to check if it was physical or psychological. Gabriel stared at his son.

“And?”

Adrien backtracked. “Did I say I know? Because really... I’m not sure.” He looked at his father imploringly. “It can’t be true.”

Gabriel laughed, a hollow and haunting sound. “If you seriously doubt your senses so much- Anell, transform me.”

His father’s wedding band glowed, and a jittery looking kwami flew into the metal. Gabriel doesn’t move like Adrien does when he transforms though, standing still and imposing as he’s outfitted with a cape and a mask that covers all of his face.

And suddenly, Hawk Moth, was there, laughing at his son.

Adrien could feel his anger manifest in a flush of heat in his face. “Ladybug is going to stop you, you know.”

Hawk Moth just rolled his eyes. He walked over to the nearest wall, and flipped a switch. A massive cage rapidly descended from the ceiling, trapping Adrien. “I would say I hadn’t pegged you for a coward, Adrien, but that would be a lie.” He rubbed his chin, an achingly familiar habit spoiled forever by the gleam of malice in his eyes. “It’s funny that you mention Her, you know. I’ve been experimenting lately, and I think I’ve found a way to destroy that bug once and for all.” Hawk Moth looked at Adrien again, and it took everything he had to hold his father’s gaze.

The verdict, like all his father’s verdicts, was final. “Since you seem so... attached, to Ladybug, I will keep you here until I’ve dealt with her. After that, this rebellious phase of yours will stop, do you understand me?”

Hot pinpricks of unshed tears blurred Adrien’s vision. “You can’t stop Ladybug and Chat Noir, father. They’re the protectors of Paris, as monumental as the Eiffel Tower. They’ll always be there to stand strong against you!”

“Foolish boy.”

Hawk Moth ascended to the rooftop gardens and turned off the light, leaving Adrien in the darkness.

It’s a good thing too, because his smile as he pulled out a small, disposable cell phone from an inner pocket in his coat was brilliant in every sense of the word.

He dialed a carefully memorized number, and began to pray that his luck could hold out.


	4. Chapter 4

Marinette felt her phone vibrate in the middle of a tense lunch with Alya. She immediately answered, despite the unknown caller. 

_“Marinette! Thank god you answered!”_

“Adrien?” At the sound of their missing classmate’s name, Alya perked up and leaned in to listen. Marinette put him on speakerphone.

 _“Yes, Marinette- I need your help, can you contact Ladybug? I know you two are close-”_ Close was one word for it. Marinette glanced at Alya, who was obviously waiting on edge for her response. But at the look on Marinette’s face, Alya sat back down and gave her a nod of blessing. Marinette carried the phone over to a more secluded area.

“Where are you?” Marinette didn’t notice, but it was the strongest her voice had ever been talking to Adrien.

 _“That’s not important, Marinette, Ladybug was right! Hawk Moth is going to do something, I don’t know what, but he’s going to attack and soon. Please-”_ Adrien’s voice cracked on the last word. 

“Adrien, you need to know something-”

_“Marinette, there’s no time-”_

“Ladybug is here with me.” Marinette winced at the half-lie. 

_“Marinette, you’re the best, can you please put her on?”_

Marinette shifted the phone from hand to hand, took a deep breath, and channeled all the confidence she could muster. “Chat? It’s Ladybug, what’s going on-”

 _“My Lady! Listen, his miraculous, it’s my fath- it’s Hawk Moth’s wedding ring. But you have to be careful, he’s coming for you, maybe very soon. I’m not sure, he left a moment ago.”_

“Chat- Thank you.”

There was a relieved sigh on the other end of the line. _“I had to make sure you knew that, you’ll need every edge you can get.”_ His voice turned the smallest bit bitter. _“You probably shouldn’t call me that when I don’t have Plagg, you know. It’s just me.”_

“There’s nothing ‘just’ about you, Ch- Adrien. Trust me. Are you safe? You still haven’t told me where you are.” Marinette knew she should start planning her defence against Hawk Moth, but without Adrien, without Chat, without whoever he was safe and away from the battle, she couldn’t concentrate. 

The nervous laugh put her even less at ease. _“I’m a little cage-y at the moment, but don’t worry, some cat-nip and I’ll be fel-ine.”_

“Are you trying to tell me you’re trapped in a cage through puns?”

Silence. “Adrien?”

_“I don’t know who this is, and I don’t care to know. My son is of no concern to you, and I recommend you hang up, immediately.”_

Marinette nearly hung up. Ladybug dug her heels in deeper. “Hawk Moth. Go to hell.”

 _“Fascinating. I didn’t know my son associated with the likes of you, Ladybug. Well, that’s what I get for allowing him to go to that_ public _school.”_ Marinette could hear his disdain soak into her skin. _“Hmm. Thank you, Ladybug, you’ve given me a thought. I’ll be seeing you soon.”_

 

The click was final.

Marinette scanned the schoolyard. There. She ducked into a secluded corner, making sure no one could see her. Then- “Tikki! Spots on!”

Ladybug climbed to the top of the roof. The chatter and gossip of the students died down as they gazed up at their hero in shock. 

“Listen to me! I need everyone to evacuate, right now.” Ladybug gestured at the handful of teachers milling about. “And I do mean everyone. The school is in danger, more danger than Paris has ever been in before. It isn’t safe to be here.” Her eyes unwillingly meet Alya’s. “This includes journalists. Get going! Go!”

Ladybug swung down to stare down Alya directly. “Alya, right?” Her best friend nodded, stunned into silence. Then Ladybug noticed her phone recording. “Alya, if you turn that off, I have a favor to ask of you.”

But before Ladybug could ask- “My- my friend Marinette, she’s missing.”

Oh. Right. “Marinette was the first one I sent home. But, Alya, we really don’t have much time. There’s a classmate of yours, Adrien Agreste, who is being held hostage in his home. I need you and a few others, maybe friends of his, to get him out. Please.” 

Alya paled, but nodded. “His friends Nino and Chloe are over there, they know his house better than I do.”

Ladybug pulled the blogger into a hug. “Thank you. Now get out of here!” 

She didn’t miss the considering look the blogger sent her as she ran towards Nino and Chloe, but there wasn’t time for that now. She kept the students moving, making sure that every classroom was evacuated. But there wasn’t enough time, there would never be enough time. She could feel it the moment Hawk Moth arrived, the cold trickle of fear making it impossible to focus, impossible to breathe.

Ladybug met him on the roof, of course she did. Because this was for all of Paris, and all of Paris deserved to watch. She felt more than saw the Eiffel Tower in the distance, watching like a silent idol, unbothered by the outcome but silently rooting for her.

“Hand over your miraculous, bug.” Hawk Moth’s costume was different than hers and Chat Noir’s, she noted with curiosity. Theirs were made for movement, his was made for dramatics. She could use that. 

“Like I said, Hawk Moth. Go to hell.”

He gave her a disapproving look. “Does the hero of Paris usually use such foul language?” 

“Only with you, asshole.” With that, Ladybug threw her yoyo at Hawk Moth, hoping to catch him off guard. Unfortunately, he seemed to have been waiting for it, and used her momentum against her. She hit the floor with a thud. Ouch. She stood back up as quickly as possible, but her knees were already smarting.

When she looked back at Hawk Moth, he was smiling.

“Akumas- find them.”

Hundreds upon hundreds of ghost white butterflies descended from the sky, turning the black and purple bruised color of an akuma as they passed Hawk Moth. Ladybug ducked, but they soared over her head. She was surprised, until the screams started.

“What are you doing?” Ladybug practically growled. “Those are innocent civilians, don’t bring them into this.”

Hawk Moth smirked. “Haven’t you heard, Ladybug? There’s no such thing as an innocent civilian.”

Shapeless monsters began to accumulate in the corner of her vision. Ladybug swallowed sharply. She and Chat together had never had to face more than one Akuma at a time. Nearly a dozen surrounded her now, and from the distorted appearances of the victims, some had been infected by multiple akumas. 

She scanned the victims, looking for distinctive items the akuma could have affected... but some were shapeshifting before her eyes, with multiple costumes and powers battling for dominance. 

“Lucky charm!” 

A red and black spotted chain mail blanket fell from the sky with a weighty “thunk”. Her vision went spotty with concentration. Oh! 

She jumped in the air, twisting into Chat’s much favored double barrel roll. She tried to time it just right, because she only had the one shot-

And an akuma with glowing green tentacles snatched her out of the air, the makeshift net falling on her. Not Hawk Moth, who loomed over her, hand reaching for her earrings-

“NO!”

~~~

Adrien had the best friends, he really did. Chloe knew all the ways to sneak into his house, probably because they had spent so much time when they were younger sneaking out while the adults had formal meetings. Nino had taught himself how to lockpick over the summer. And Alya? Well-

“I knew there would be a secret entrance! It wasn’t subtle at all!”

The trio piled into the former lab, bickering and throwing elbows at each other. They stopped pushing the moment they laid eyes on Adrien, who waved awkwardly from his cage. “Hi, guys.”

Chloe spoke first, to everyone’s surprise. “Adrien, what the fuck.” Nino and Alya nodded, not even noticing that they just agreed with Chloe for the first time, possibly ever.

Adrien gave them his most reassuring grin. “I can explain. Kind of. But- ah- maybe could I get a hand in getting down first, please?”

Alya shook herself out of her shock first. “Of course! Okay, it’s suspended by a chain, not rope, so we can’t cut him down. Not that we’d want to, that drop is nasty. Nino, Chloe, help me lower him!”

Chloe didn’t even grumble about the physical exertion, which spoke volumes to Adrien about how worried his typically self-centered friend was. The cage slowly descended, while Adrien tried desperately to think of a good cover story for why he was in a cage in his own home. He decided to go with the simplest version. 

“An akuma got me!”

Nino tilted his head. “At home? Also, why weren’t you are school today, dude? I thought I saw you arrive but you never made it to class.”

Shit. Right. Adrien was about to open his mouth to say something, what exactly, he hadn’t thought too far out in advance- when Chloe interrupted. “Hello? We have to get him out of the thing still. Nerd boy. Do the locky picking thing.”

Nino looked offended, but started working on the lock. Adrien shot Chloe a grateful look, which she met with one that said _You owe me, and what you owe me is an explanation the minute we are away from these losers and in private._ Chloe’s face was very articulate when she wanted it to be.

“Wait, where’s Marinette?” Not that he expected her to come or anything, he was surprised anyone had formed a rescue mission at all, but he never saw Alya without Marinette unless Alya was reporting on an akuma attack of some kind.

Alya shifted, looking uncomfortable. “Ladybug said she evacuated her out first.”

“Evacuated?” Adrien wasn’t even embarrassed of the squeak he let out.

Chloe flipped her hair, irritated that Adrien wasn’t paying attention to her. “Yeah, Ladybug showed up and told, like, the entire school to get out of there, fast. But I think Nerd Girl is lying, there’s no way Ladybug would evacuate a little mouse like Marinette first. Everyone knows I’m more important!”

Alya’s eyes narrowed, and Adrien had to shush the two girls before the fight escalated. “Girls, please! We need to stay quiet.”

The cage door swung open, and Nino triumphantly thrust his fist in the air. “Gotcha!”

Adrien stepped out, only to be mobbed by his friends in a ferocious hug. “Thanks, guys.” His smile fell. “I need to protect her.”

“Who’s ‘her’?”

“ADRIEN-”

He started sprinting towards the school, with every footstep hoping he could make it on time. Because he might have been just Adrien, but he was also Chat Noir, and that side of him still existed without the mask. His Lady was strong, but so was his father. She would need all the help she could get. 

The run took a lot longer without the superpowers, but being a model meant Adrien had better muscle tone than most, even in civilian form. He ran until he couldn’t take in enough breath to calm his lungs. 

What little air he managed to breathe in dissipated in a horrified gasp when he was Hawk Moth looming over his Lady, about to snatch her miraculous away. The yell escaped him without warning, drawing a familiar pair of eyes his way.

Hawk Moth grinned. “Look who decided to join us.” He moved his hand away from Ladybug, and Adrien almost cheered in victory. “Adrien.”

Ladybug’s eyes were massive, and he knew that look. That was her ‘leave me and run’ look. Thankfully, he was an expert at ignoring it. “Hawk Moth. Father. Whomever. Don’t take this out on the collége, much less Ladybug. You’re angry with me, punish me.”

His father’s laugh was cold. “This isn’t about you. You’re not important enough for that.” 

A familiar black-cat kawmi slowly floated behind Hawk Moth’s back. Plagg! But he was moving much more slowly than usual. Adrien tried to keep his father’s attention trained on him, to buy the kwami some time.

“Yeah? Well, I know something you don’t know about the miraculous!”

Hawk Moth stilled. “How do you know about those?”

Adrien shrugged. “The Ladyblog.” He was lying through his teeth, but it was okay, because he saw why Plagg was moving so slowly. The kwami was carrying Adrien’s ring. Ladybug started struggling, and Hawk Moth turned-

Plagg tumbled through the air, tossing Adrien his ring. Adrien fumbled it for a second, but caught the miraculous. Hawk Moth whipped back around, his threat like a whisper.

“Don’t make a mistake you can’t take back, son.”

Adrien looked up sadly at the only family member he had. “I could say the same for you, Dad. Plagg! Claws out!”

The transformation felt amazing. The moment Plagg connected with his ring, Adrien felt like himself again. He was Chat Noir. 

“Akumas. Feed.”

As every akuma left unclaimed descended upon Chat, it was Ladybug’s turn to scream.

~~~

Ladybug was really, really done with Hawk Moth. While Chat was distracting him, she had slowly backed away from the wall of akumas. These akumas, while stronger than the previous version she knew, were also much less intelligent. They seemed incapable of independent thought. 

When the akumas descended on Chat, she thought that surely, that would be the end. Adrien had to have too many negative emotions to feed off of, Chat’s Cataclysm was too strong- 

But when Ladybug reached the edge of the rooftop, she didn’t see an akumatized version of the love of her life at all. 

Instead, the akumas bounced off Chat, no- they were bouncing off Adrien with Chat’s powers. Because the Marinette inside Ladybug recognized the serene smile, and it wasn’t found on any flirtatious kitty. That was the smile Adrien had when he looked at Marinette, when he was encouraging Alya in physics, when he mediated between Chloe and, well, every other classmate. 

Hawk Moth was staring just as incredulously, but Ladybug snapped out of it first. She made eye contact with Chat through his cloud of akumas. Before Hawk Moth knew what was happening, she wrapped the heavy chainmail blanket around his head, and pushed. The hero and villain tumbled together through the air, each fighting to get loose. But Ladybug had her yoyo, and thoroughly restrained Hawk Moth as they fell.

Ladybug was caught by Chat. Hawk Moth landed with a thud in a nearby bush. Ladybug pressed a quick kiss to her kitty’s cheek before jumping back on her feet and racing over. She waited for Chat, however.

When Chat Noir pulled off Hawk Moth’s miraculous, Ladybug noticed he was visibly shuddering.

With a pop, a snivelling grey-ish pink kwami tumbled out of the ring. Almost simultaneously, Plagg and Tikki released their transformation, leaving Adrien, Marinette, and Gabriel staring at each other in mild horror. The kwamis weren’t finished, however. Plagg and Tikki moved as one, and suddenly a shimmery veil wrapped around the trio. 

Not surprisingly, Tikki was the one to chirp out an explanation, staring down the grey-pink kwami all the while. “This will stop any bystanders from seeing us, Marinette.” 

Marinette nodded, a little afraid to look at Adrien’s face. After all that had happened, it seemed silly to be nervous now, but she couldn’t help it. 

She and Adrien were saved from having this conversation now by the angry shriek of two furious kwami. 

“Anell!” Tikki rushed at the other kwami. “What were you thinking?”

Anell just sighed, and it occured to Marinette that he was moving much more sluggishly than any other kwami she’d met. Granted, she’d only met Tikki and Plagg, but still. Maybe he was hurt?

Even Plagg sounded angry. “You were NOT made for this, Anell. I might expect this from Waspp, but not you.”

“And you’ve nearly lost all your color! Anell!”

The kwami was still silent. Tikki rounded on Gabriel. “What did you do to him, you- you monster!”

Gabriel let out a sharp huff. “I haven’t done anything.” 

Plagg’s eyes gleamed. “Anell is an artist, a creator. Not a destroyer.”

For the first time, Anell spoke, a sob breaking apart his words. “My fault.”

Tikki looked concerned. “How is it your fault, Anell?”

“Lisse.”

At the name, both kwamis paled. Marinette was the only one to notice that Gabriel Agreste had reacted as well.

Anell kept sobbing. “Lisse. Lisse-”

Plagg got extremely close to Anell, cat eyes growing narrow. “What happened to Lisse?”

“She died.”

Everyone turned towards Gabriel. Tikki looked ferocious. “Kwami can’t die, Gabriel.”

Anell just sobbed louder. Gabriel jutted his chin at his kwami, looking more exhausted than Marinette had ever seen a grown up look. “She did. Clearly.” He pushed his glasses up on his nose. “That- the kwami died, Lisse. And the next day, Harriett went missing. She went mad with grief. So did the kwami. And I realized that kwami and miraculous stones were pointless, useless fairytales that a responsible adult needed to confiscate before more people got hurt.”

Adrien’s voice was small. “Mom had a kwami?”

Tikki nodded. “Apparently, Lisse chose her. Lisse is-” she glared at Gabriel, “ _was_ a kwami of science, of logic. The ying to Anell’s yang.”

Gabriel’s voice was cold. “Yes. Was.”

There was silence. Marinette spoke for the first time. “So. You lashed out at an entire city.” Without looking at his face, Marinette grabbed Adrien’s hand as gently as possible. When he squeezed tightly, she kept going. “You tried to kill me. You tried to kill your own son. Miraculouses aren’t like kwamis, Mr. Agreste. You were in full control of your choices.” She closed her eyes, trying to calm her anger. She opened them again, a flash of ice blue. “I need to check with Adrien about something. Tikki, can you make two bubbles so he can’t hear us?”

The kwami nodded, and then it was just her and Adrien.

It was quiet.

Adrien was looking at the ground, so Marinette kept talking. “Adrien. This is your call. I’m- I’m with you.”

The blonde boy just nodded. Tikki released the second border, and Adrien squared his shoulders and began to speak. 

“You have two choices.” 

Gabriel gave Adrien a considering look. “You’re speaking with an awful lot of authority you don’t possess.”

“You’re wrong.” Adrien snapped. “And I don’t think you’re in much of a position to negotiate. Option one- we take you to the mayor, to the law enforcement. Reveal that you were the one behind the akumas, behind all the damage. You may think your business partners will help you. Let me promise you- they won’t. Chloe Borgeous saw me in that butterfly cage. Option two- leave.” He took a deep breath. “Leave, and don’t come back. You can keep your reputation, your business- but you can’t keep me, and you can’t have Paris. If you cause trouble anywhere else, Ladybug and I will find you, we will stop you, and you will be left with only option one.”

Gabriel’s mouth twitched in a tinge of a smile. “Strong negotiation. You can hold your own.”

“I’ve had to. Pick.” Adrien was staring his father down, unblinking, so Marinette was only a little surprised when his hand found its way back into hers. 

“The second.”

Adrien nodded, serene as ever, but Marinette felt the sharp squeeze. “Okay.” He pocketed the miraculous, and Tikki pushed Anell toward Adrien. 

Marinette looked at her kwami. “Tikki, the akuma victims- they typically experience amnesia, correct?” The kwami nodded. “Will anyone remember that Mr. Agreste was Hawk Moth?”

Tikki considered the question. “You two will remember. He will remember. Thanks to your quick evacuation, no civilians witnessed this attack who weren’t under the influence of an akuma.”

Adrien looked at her then. “Three of our friends saw me in the- the butterfly cage.”

Plagg and Tikki looked taken aback, and glared with fresh hatred at Gabriel. “They’ll remember- kid. What conclusions they draw, that’s up to the information you give them.” 

“About what I expected then.” He looked at his father one more time, and Marinette felt her heart falter at the look on his face. “You have twelve hours to leave Paris.” Together, the duo looked up at their kwamis. Tikki coughed.

“Um, Marinette-”

What? Oh- right! “Lucky charm!” Together, she and Adrien threw the chainmail blanket into the sky, where it burst into scrubbing hearts.

Adrien’s voice was tiny and desperate. “Can we leave, now? Please?”

Marinette nodded, not trusting herself to speak just yet. She grabbed Adrien’s hand, and dragged him the half a block to her parents bakery. She pushed open the door, realizing by the flour everywhere that her parents and the customers must have evacuated along with the rest of the block. 

She practically pushed Adrien up the ladder to her room, not stopping until they were both suddenly back in the pink space. Call it gallows humor, but the only thing Marinette could think was _thank god I took down the posters._ It almost made her laugh, but then she looked at Adrien.

Adrien, who was shaking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I spent a while trying to figure out the pros and cons of Gabriel Agreste's miraculous being various items. I know Hawk Moth has that awesome broach, but Gabriel Agreste doesn't have anything like that on his person. So I went the wedding ring route, because it's subtle and also works well with the backstory. Thanks for reading! (The next chapter is coming soon, it's going to be pretty much all hurt/comfort because Adrien needs it)  
> ALSO: Waspp is in reference to the AMAZING fic Well, excuse me, princess! By mirawohoo. I seriously recommend it.


	5. Chapter 5

Adrien was vaguely aware that he’s back in Marinette’s room, but it was blurry. Everything was so blurry. He felt like he was at the bottom of a very deep lake, gazing up through liters upon liters of water, trying to understand what was going on at the shore. 

Marinette was saying something in Ladybug’s voice, which made sense because- because Ladybug was Marinette? Whoever she was, her arm was around his shoulder, and they were sitting side by side. He slowly relaxed, leaning into her as much as he felt he could.

“It’s- it’s okay to be sad, you know.”

Adrien had witnessed Marinette comforting so many of their classmates. He’d seen Ladybug calm down civilians. How could he have ever not known?

He tried to sit up straight, to stop leaning on her so much- he always leaned on her- but failed. “I’m okay.”

Her double ponytails swished gently against the top of his head. “I wouldn’t be.” She laughed low. “I don’t think I am, actually. And you’ve- you’ve seen a lot more today.”

Leave it to Marinette to delicately phrase ultimate parental betrayal. 

Adrien noticed from a place outside himself that the world was becoming more real, less of a fishbowl. “Are you afraid of me?”

He felt Marinette stiffen, but before he could apologize, she answered. “No. Well- not now.” Her voice is just as soothing as before, and every word feels like a balm. “I’ve never been afraid of Chat Noir. For a while- for a while I was afraid of embarrassing myself in front of Adrien.”

“You couldn’t talk to me.”

She nodded. “I would stress over everything I said. It made me useless.” Her fingers at some point had started threading through his hair, and he leaned into the touch. “That’s why I was scared to tell Chat who I was without the mask. Without Tikki, I’m just Marinette, who can’t even talk to the cute guy in her homeroom.”

“Cute?”

He felt her huff of laughter more than heard it. “Don’t get an inflated head, Kitty, but yes. Cute.” She pulled him down further, so that he was lying on the floor with his head in her lap. “And smart. And kind. And brave. And a fan of terrible, terrible cat puns.”

Adrien knew she was trying to make him feel better. “And an actual super-villain for a father.”

Her hands stalled, but didn’t stop playing with his hair. “Yes. Someone who stood up to said super-villain, who resisted hundreds of akumas-”

“-I’m still not sure how that worked.” He opened his eyes and looked at her, at his Lady and best friend. She let out a soft hum.

“I think I know.”

He settled back down, cuddling up just a little closer. “How?”

Marinette smiled. “Akumas thrive on negative emotion. Do you remember what you were feeling back there?”

Adrien frowned. “Actually, at that moment?” Wait a second. He felt a blush rise up to his cheeks. No, he couldn’t say that out loud.

Maybe Adrien couldn’t. And maybe Chat couldn’t either, not really, not without a cheesy joke. But they were both him, and together- “I was actually... thinking about you. How brave you were. How happy I was you were okay.”

She pressed a soft kiss to his forehead then. “I love you, you know. On both sides of the mask. It took me a bit of time to piece it together- Tikki said that there’s a glamour, when we’re in costume. Anyway... Chat is my best friend. Adrien is someone I’ve looked up to, forever. I’m glad it’s you. That you’re you.”

His face felt burnt, his heart was thumping maniacally, and he’d never felt happier in his life. “I-”

Marinette shushed him. “You need to rest, Kitty. You looked exhausted this morning, and that was before you tired yourself out transforming and fighting.” 

“No fair, you need to hear me-owt.”

Their eyes met, and the two teenagers burst into hysterical laughter. Laughter that eventually turned into the flood of tears Adrien had been desperately trying to hold back. Marinette hugged him until he was done.

“I’m sorry, Marinette, I’m so sorry.” 

Marinette pulled back, and god, Adrien saw Ladybug’s eyes in Marinette’s face for the first time, and she was right, it was incredible how they missed it.

No one else had eyes that bright. 

She stood, and he missed her warmth so much more than he thought possible. She wasn’t gone for long, just long enough to grab a pile of blankets off the bunk bed and to bring them down to the chaise. She patted the spot next to her, almost shyly. 

“It’s more comfortable than the floor, alley cat, and I’m not kicking you out anytime soon.”

He released a breath he hadn’t known he’d been holding. For very understandable reasons, Adrien really, really didn’t want to go home. 

Gently, he lowered himself next to Marinette, suddenly understanding what she meant when she said she couldn’t get the right words out. Her hand grasped his, and he flashes back to the battle, yes, but also to every other time they’ve connected. They’ve seen terrifying monsters turned back into mortal humans, and they’ve leapt across the rooftops of Paris. 

Tomorrow, when his father is gone and the house is empty, she’ll still be there. 

“I love you too.”

Adrien smiled when Marinette squeaked. She couldn’t have been surprised, he’d been telling her that for months, but well- said like that, lying side by side in the dark, as himself and not Chat... it felt different.

Speaking of Chat- “Where’s Plagg? And, Tikki, right?”

Marinette gestured to the bunk bed. “They’re demolishing the backup food stash. I think they’re also talking with Anell- I still need to find out what he likes to eat.” Her hand found his again. “When you transferred Plagg to me, I raided my parent's pantry and told them we had rats.”

Adrien let out a snort of laughter. “Plagg’s appetite is cat-astrophically massive.”

“Oh come on now, that’s just lazy.”

They settled back into the silence, enjoying the slight pressure that came from lying together on a surface that wasn’t quite wide enough.

“Adrien?”

“Yeah?” 

“I’m sorry about your mother.” 

If anyone else had said that, Adrien would have felt angry. He’d never shown it, but it must have leaked through, because eventually, people stopped saying it. It had always felt like a mockery, something hollow. Chloe had never said it, and it was one reason why the two had gotten along so well.

But he had always hoped, hadn’t he, that it was all some big misunderstanding. That someday, his mom would be back. He hadn’t processed it, he hadn’t let himself process it.

“Thanks, Marinette. I’m sorry about it too.” He sighed. “It’s a whole sorry mess.”

Marinette curled up closer, and he felt every nerve highten in awareness. “It’ll be better in the morning though. It won’t stop hurting, but... things will be better tomorrow. No more akumas.”

“No more akumas.” He worked up his courage, and pressed his own kiss to her brow. She turned the prettiest shade of pink, he just had to tell her again. “I love you. All of you.”

“I love all of you too. Now go to sleep.”

And for the first time in a long, long time, Adrien Agreste drifted off to sleep with relative ease.

~~~

When Marinette awoke to Adrien, her Adrien, lying beside her, she almost burst with joy and panic. 

Loving an ideal was very different from loving an actual person.

Still, Adrien was out like a light. Marinette checked her phone for the time- 10:11 PM. She could hear her parents moving about in the kitchen, which was probably why she woke up. She carefully lifted herself up off the chaise, then took a moment to rearrange the blankets so that Adrien wouldn’t miss her- her- _body heat._ Her brain unhelpfully supplied.

Wait. 

Marinette checked her phone again. Oh crap. Alya had texted her 68 times, Nino had tried to call her twice, and even Chloe sent a “if you’re dead, you suck” text that was her own form of caring. Marinette shot off a quick text to Alya, trusting the redhead to spread the word.

_I’m okay! I’m sorry, I was asleep for a while. I’m not sure if I’m coming to class tomorrow, I’m kind of shaken up. Adrien is here, not like that, but I can explain later. We were both caught in the crossfires a bit. Love you!_

It was an unfortunate mix of the truth and lies, but it was unavoidable. Soon, hopefully soon, she’d be able to tell Alya everything. But Adrien had to be on board. She stole a glance at the sleeping blond. Maybe keeping secrets for a little bit longer would be okay.

Marinette stretched, then carefully climbed the ladder up to her bunk bed. The kwamis were sleeping too, collapsed into a puppy pile that made her squeal silently from the adorableness. Well. She thought it was silent, until Tikki cracked open an eye.

“Sorry.” Marinette whispered. “I just wanted to know what Anell likes to eat.” 

Tikki considered the question. “Vegetables.”

“Really?”

Tikki smiled. “Yeah, I don’t understand either.”

Marinette looked at the exhausted pink kwami. “Is he going to be okay?”

Her own kwami’s antenna drooped. “I’m not sure. Marinette- it sounds like Lisse really did-” her voice became even softer, “-die.”

“We’ll figure it out, Tikki. I promise.” 

Marinette jumped silently down from the bunk, and made her way towards the downstairs living area. Her parents were cleaning up the mess from the evacuation, and Marinette felt a twinge of guilt for not being there. Which was ridiculous, because she was being Ladybug and saving the city, but still. Her parents didn’t seem to hold it against her, sweeping her up in a crushing hug.

“Marinette! We were about to go looking for you!” Her father’s voice was booming, and Marinette winced. She pointed up at her room, and was met by a pair of _very_ confused parental faces.

She lifted her hands pleadingly. “Okay, please don’t freak out-”

Sabine raised an eyebrow.

Marinette sighed. “A friend of mine- he lost a lot in the attack today. It’s up to him to tell you as much as he feels comfortable with, but he couldn’t go home, so I brought him here.” Seeing the look on her mother’s face, she hastily continued. “He’s on the chaise, obviously, but please- he really can’t go home, and there’s no one else to-”

“It’s Adrien, isn’t it?” Tom’s voice was softer than Marinette thought it would be.

She nodded, looking at the ground. Her parents exchanged a look over her head.

Sabine pulled Marinette into another hug. “You’re a good friend, Marinette. Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.” 

Tom winked. “Besides, I like Adrien.”

“Me too,” Sabine chimed in. Both her parents started looking expectantly at Marinette.

She laughed. “Fine, fine, I like him too.” Marinette smiled. “A lot.” She grabbed a zucchini from the basket on the table, hoping to pass it off as a non sequoir after a tiring day. Just as she started a retreat back to her room, her father called after her.

“Yes?”

The large man smiled. “Adrien likes pancakes, I hope?” 

“Yes, Dad, I think he will.”

He laughed. “Good. Don’t want my future son-in-law to go hungry.”

"DAD!" Marinette's face turned apple red, but her heart was happy. Things would work out okay. Adrien had held them together, held Paris together for so long. Maybe a little time with the Dupain-Chengs could help him see that it didn't need to be all on his shoulders.

After all, Ladybug and Chat Noir? They were a team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! You are all so sweet, and I really appreciate all of the lovely comments!  
> (If there's interest, I do have an idea for another fic about Lisse and Anell, but it depends on if people are interested?) Thank you!


End file.
